The present invention relates to a method and to a device for applying an article with an adhesive component to a carton or other generally planer surface.
An application of small labels to large, flexible bodies, such as cartons and newspapers, has been an expensive, time-consuming and an inaccurate activity. The flexible bodies, such as cartons and newspapers, have been difficult to adhere adhesive articles and align with a labeling device. Furthermore, it has heretofore not been possible to adapt a device for labeling bottles to a device for labeling cartons and newspapers because the cartons and newspapers travel within a particular process at a very different rate from rates of label application to bottles. Typically, this rate is much faster than can be accommodated by a conventional labeling device. The result is improper registration between the carton and the label. The poor registration becomes catastrophic within a very short period of time in a rapid labeling operation. A consequence is a significant loss of production time and maintenance that is required to correct and repair damaged equipment in the label process. Excessive raw label material must be destroyed. Cartons or newspapers may also have to be destroyed.
The Eder patent, U.S. No. 5,464,495, issuing Nov. 7, 1995, describes a method and an apparatus for applying labels to containers and the resulting containers. With this method, containers are transported on rotatable support plates which are arranged in a circle on a rotating turntable. A leading edge of a label is adhered to a container as the container orbits past a vacuum-type label transfer drum. A curved guide which is tangential to the cylindrical body of the container, as the orbiting and rotating container passes, causes the label to wrap completely around the container. One of a circular array of heat-sealing elements which are rotated with the turntable adjacent each support plate is cammed radially outwardly of the turntable into contact with the region on the container where the trailing end overlaps the leading end of the label. This action fuses the ends of the labels together. The cam profile is adjustable in length to keep the time during which the heat-sealing member is in contact with the label ends overlap constant and independent of the rotational speed of the turntable.